Japan to Increase Tourist Visa Fees for the First Time in Half a Century

Japan is preparing to raise its visa fees for the first time since 1978, reports Travel and Tour World. The decision follows a record surge in inbound tourism and aims to align Japan’s fees with those of other major economies without undermining its competitiveness in the global travel market.

International Standards

In the first half of 2025, Japan welcomed 21.5 million foreign visitors — a historic record indicating that the country’s tourism industry has fully recovered from the pandemic. However, this surge has strained visa processing systems. The number of applications has grown so dramatically that the government has been forced to find ways to improve efficiency and financial sustainability.

Visa fees set nearly half a century ago no longer cover the real costs of processing applications. Japan has long remained one of the most affordable countries for visa expenses: 3,000 yen (€19) for a single-entry visa and 6,000 yen (€38) for a multiple-entry one. By contrast, a short-stay visa in the United States costs around $185, and a Schengen visa — about €90. The new fee structure is designed to correct this imbalance and bring Japan’s tariffs closer to international standards.

Authorities are also considering changes to the payment procedure: applicants may soon be required to pay the fee at the time of submission, as is common in many other countries. This step should help speed up processing, reduce the number of non-serious applications, and make the system more transparent and predictable for both travelers and consular staff.

Reform Program

The visa fee revision is part of a broader initiative — the “Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2025.” As Nippon.com explains, the document outlines modernization of administrative procedures and strengthening of the fiscal base related to tourism. The reform will be synchronized with future increases in the “departure tax” and the launch of the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA).

Euronews notes that the current departure tax is 1,000 yen (€5.5), but it could rise significantly as early as 2026 to generate additional funds for airport and tourism infrastructure development. Japan’s government will benchmark its new rates against those in other countries. For comparison, Germany charges from €15.53 to €39.34 for short-distance flights and up to €70.83 for long-haul routes. The JESTA system is expected to launch in 2028, with an estimated fee of about 6,000 yen (€36) per authorization.

Long-Term Goals

The rapid growth of tourism in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka has already raised concerns about overcrowding and infrastructure pressure. The government views higher visa fees and related charges as a soft regulatory tool. The additional revenue will support the digitalization of consular services, stronger security controls, expanded airport capacity, and initiatives to ease the burden on overvisited tourist areas.

Tourism remains one of the main drivers of Japan’s economy: in 2025 alone, the sector reached record revenues and sustained hundreds of thousands of jobs in hospitality and transportation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects that the reforms will reduce staff workload and shorten visa processing times, which can currently take several weeks.

For travelers, these changes mean higher mandatory payments and tighter entry conditions. The increase in visa fees and the departure tax will make trips to Japan more expensive, especially for short-term and frequent visitors. Stricter requirements and higher administrative costs could also discourage independent travelers and further shift Japan’s tourism market toward higher-income segments.